Spin reaches 600,000 rides with Essex e-scooter trial

Spin, the micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, has reached over 600,000 rides as part of its e-scooter trial across Essex.

The milestone was reached as the trial reached one year of operation.

This anniversary follows the recent announcement of the extension of Spin’s e-scooter hire scheme in Essex until November 2022, as part of the Department for Transport (DfT) trials.

Data from the trial so far shows the e-scooters have primarily been used for short journeys for an average of 1.8 miles and a 23 minute travel time.

Chelmsford has seen the most rides (206,000), followed by Colchester (203,000), Basildon (156,000) and Clacton-on-Sea (40,000) where the trial concluded in October 2021.

Spin continues to operate a different model in Brentwood and Braintree where customers can hire an e-scooter long-term, on a monthly basis, while also considering launching short-term hire, similar to that in its other Essex markets.

E-scooter stakeholder group

One of the trial’s key objectives was to include vulnerable road users’ feedback in the service design and to achieve this Spin and Essex County Council, together with fifteen local accessibility groups have formed the Essex E-Scooter Trial Access Stakeholder Group.

They bring together nonprofit organisations such as Guide Dogs UK, Thomas Pocklington Trust and Royal Association for Deaf people.

So far, through their regular meetings they have addressed concerns such as inappropriate e-scooter parking and anti-social behaviour.

Additionally, Spin has trained several members of its team as sensory champions via the Sensory Action Alliance to provide greater knowledge to its operations teams for better safety measures.

Peter Blackman, chair, Essex E-scooter Trial Stakeholder Group said: “Community organisations are pleased that during the first year, Spin and the local authorities established this stakeholder group.

“We coordinated feedback from Essex residents, visitors, vulnerable people and local groups, and have addressed issues that have been raised.”

Blackman said that if legislation continues to authorise e-scooters, all schemes should have stakeholder groups to ensure vulnerable people can have open access to dialogue with operators.

As part of Spin’s commitment to safe riding, it has organised 26 free in-person safe riding training events in Essex, in which more than 800 members of the public have participated.

Spin has also handed out 1,500 complimentary helmets to its Essex riders since its launch.